Continuing Education

Fire Technology Continuing Education

The Fire Technology Program offers a variety of continuing education courses to provide career firefighters opportunities for advanced Texas Commission on Fire Protection (TCFP) certifications with flexible course curriculum and scheduling.

In coordination with the Galveston County Fire Fighter’s Association (GCFFA), continuing education courses are offered to assist local volunteer firefighters in obtaining State Firemen’s and Fire Marshal’s Association Certifications.

Professional development courses are available for students who need continuing education hours to maintain firefighter certification.

Courses are available for industry to satisfy OSHA training requirements.

Texas Commission on Fire Protection Courses for Certification

The College of the Mainland Fire Technology Program is a certified training facility by the TCFP and is approved to offer the following courses for certification:

Basic Fire Suppression, Firefighter Basic

Driver/Operator Pumper

Fire Instructor I

Fire Instructor II

Fire Instructor III

Fire Officer I

Fire Officer II

Fire Inspector

Fire Investigator

Hazardous Material Awareness-Level and Operations-Level Responder

Hazardous Material Technician

Incident Safety Officer

These courses satisfy TCFP curriculum and skills requirements for certification. All instructors hold TCFP certification as instructor and in the area of instruction.

Students that successfully complete a course receive a course completion and are eligible for the associated certification examination. Students who pass the examination are eligible to apply for certification from the TCFP.

Note: Certain certification examinations have additional TCFP requirements that students must satisfy in order to be eligible for the examination.

Classroom or Internet Training Options

Curriculum for TCFP courses for certification may be offered as traditional classroom training, online training through the COM’s Blackboard Learning System, or a combination classroom and online training.

Course Offerings and Schedule

Fire Department Contract Sections

TCFP courses for certification are available to local fire departments on a contractual basis with customized scheduling to meet the department’s work and training schedule. As noted above, curriculum may be traditional classroom based, provided online, or a combination of class room and online training. Contact the director of fire technology to schedule a course.

Credit Courses Offered As Continuing Education Sections

Credit courses for TCFP certification may be offered as concurrent continuing education sections. This option is offered to individuals as a customized course or to fire departments on a contractual basis. Contact the director of fire technology for information regarding course availability.

Credit by Petition for TCFP Continuing Education Courses

Firefighters that have completed TCFP courses as continuing education at a fire department or other agency and have obtained certification may petition that course for credit. To be eligible, students must complete the following:

Provide documentation the course was TCFP approved.

Hold current TCFP certification for that course.

Complete six additional credit hours at COM.

Pass a competency examination for the associated course.

Contact the director of fire technology to initiate the petition process.

Professional Development

This course is customized to provide 20 hours of training in selected topics to meet continuing education requirements in order to maintain certification with the TCFP. Students may either attend instructional topics relative to the continuing education requirements for their certification in the current Fire Academy or complete online training modules.

Upon completion, students will be issued a course completion that can be submitted to the TCFP as documentation of training. Contact the director of fire technology to schedule this course.

Volunteer Firefighter Programs

SFFMA Firefighter I

This course is based on SFFMA’s Firefighter I curriculum and is available to fire departments on a contractual basis. The course may be offered as a traditional classroom-based course, online or a combination of classroom and online training.

Students successfully completing the course are eligible to test for SFFMA Firefighters I through SFFMA. Currently, students must contact SFFMA to schedule the test. Contact the director of fire technology to schedule a course.

New Member Training

This course is also based on SFFMA Firefighter I curriculum. It is offered in coordination with the GCFFA to member departments in the fall and spring semesters.

For additional information or to enroll, contact the GCFFA Training Coordinator, Stan Kozlowski, at skozlow404@aol.com or the director of fire technology.

Summer Smoke

Summer Smoke courses are offered in coordination with the GCFFA and consist of a series of 16-hour courses designed to meet SFFMA training requirements. Courses are listed in COM’s CE Schedule or WebAdvisor.

Courses offered each summer vary to meet specific requests from GCFFA member fire departments to satisfy training requirements. The following courses are currently available:

Rope and Rappel: Covers SFFMA, Section 28, Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Rope and Rappelling and provides the basic knowledge for individuals who will be using ropes for hauling, securing and preparing for additional rope rescue classes.

Pump Operations: Covers SFFMA, Section 24, Basic and Intermediate Pumps. It is recommended that fire departments provide their own apparatus so that firefighters in their department will train with equipment they will use during emergency operations.

EVOC (Emergency Vehicle Operation Course): Provides driver training for fire, EMS and other emergency vehicle drivers in a secure training area, including techniques, concepts, rules, and procedural knowledge necessary for emergency vehicle operators to drive safely and effectively. This course will prepare students for the driver’s portion of the test for a Class B license.

SFFMA Special Topics: Customized courses designed to satisfy SFFMA topics requested by local volunteer fire departments to meet certification requirements.

Note: All Summer Smoke courses are physically intensive. Students must be in good physical condition and capable of fulfilling the requirements for interior fire suppression and rescue. Students must bring and don NFPA structural firefighting PPE and utilize NFPA SCBA and fire service hand tools. Due to the physically intense nature of these courses, there is a possibility of minor injuries and damage to gear.

For additional information or to enroll, contact the GCFFA Training Coordinator, Stan Kozlowski, at skozlow404@aol.com or the director of fire technology.

Industry Training

The Fire Technology Program offers courses to local industry that satisfy OSHA training requirements. The following courses are available:

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